See what a high band reads like.

P1Magazines and websites devoted to the private lives of celebrities have become utterly ubiquitous. This essay will examine why such content commands so vast an audience and argue that, on the whole, the trend is a negative one.

P2The appeal of celebrity media is not difficult to fathom. Human beings are instinctively curious about the lives of others, and following the glamour, romances and scandals of the rich and famous offers an easy, undemanding form of escapism from the grind of ordinary existence. These stories also function as a kind of social glue, furnishing people with a ready topic to gossip over with friends and colleagues, while social media has made celebrities feel more accessible than ever, blurring the once-firm line between distant star and personal acquaintance.

P3Despite this enormous popularity, I believe the phenomenon is, on balance, harmful. Its most troubling effect is on values, particularly those of the young, who may come to equate success with fame and physical perfection rather than with effort, talent or kindness. The relentless parade of flawless bodies and lavish lifestyles fuels insecurity and corrosive comparison. Beyond this, the obsession crowds out attention to weightier matters, as readers absorb the minutiae of a celebrity's wardrobe while remaining serenely indifferent to politics or world affairs. The industry, furthermore, routinely tramples on privacy in its hunger for ever more intimate revelations.